Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. WOODRUFP.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 445,214. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

' (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2,

A WOODRUFF TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

N0. 445,214. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

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NITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

ALONZO \YOODRUFROF AUBURN, NFHV YORK.

TYPE-WRITI N G MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,214, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed October 24, 1889. Serial No. 328,040. (No model.)

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO WooDRUFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Auburn, county of Cayuga, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Marking or Printing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to the means for printing or marking addresses or other matter on fiat surfacessuch as those of boxes, parcels, or other fiat stationary surface-in which, ordinarily, the marking is done by hand or by the use of stencil-plates; and it consists, first, in the combination, with a suitable frame, of an adjustable type-carriage and an independently-movable impression stamp or plunger for effecting the desired spacing of the letters, whereby any and all letters, as required, can be brought in succession under the plunger and impressed on the surface under the desired arrangement.

It further consists in a novel arrangement of means for supporting, moving, and holding the impression stamp or plunger; in a novel arrangement of the type and indicator bars, of the ink-pads, and of means for properly supporting the type for insuring the proper position of type relative to the plunger, and in certain details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and printed upon is ordinarily stationary and the type and plunger are moved-the type for bringing the desired type underneath the plunger and the plunger for effectingthe desired spacing of the letters, words, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showin g a modification in the arrangement of the rack-bar. Fig. 2 is also a perspective view, looking from the front of the machine, enlarged and partly in section, to show the plunger-carriage, its actuating mechanism, the type index-plate, 8:0. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the plunger-carriage and the parts connected therewith. Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the plunger depressed; and Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the flexible type-bed and its carrying-bar and supporting-springs.

A indicates a flat rectangular frame or casting, provided centrally of its width from front to rear with an elongated slot or central opening a and at its sides or ends with standards a a for a purpose which will appear, and it may be further provided with stiffening ribs or rods 1) b, extending between the side standards, for giving the required strength to the frame without unnecessary weight of material. The portion A of the frame in front of the slot Ct also has two ribs b 17 formed upon or secured to it, the adjacent sides of which ribs are inclined toward each other, forming a groove of dovetail form for the reception of a sliding bar, carrying the impression and index plates and type, as will appear.

The standards a a overhang the ends of the forward part A of the frame-plate, and have secured to and extending between them two rods or bars 0 and O, the former made, preferably, cylindrical in form in cross-section, and the latter 0 semi-cylindrical or in other suitable form, and secured to the ends of the standards a and a by screws, as shown, or in other suitable manner. These rods 0 and C form a support for the plunger-carriage (indicated at D) sliding thereon. The carriage D is shown made in approximately triangular form, preferably, as giving the desired width of base at its rear side, where it is provided with a sleeve or perforated sleeveshaped ears D, which surround and are adapted to slide on the bar 0, while the opposite or.

forward point of the plate can be bent down, as shown, toform the index-finger D lying directly over the type-indicator bar, as shown; but any suitable form or construction of carriage and index-finger may be employed. The forward end of this carriage D, by preference, simply rests and slides on the bar 0, which is located directly behind the finger D as plunger-shank slides.

this arrangement permits it to be rocked upon the bar 0, and out of the way for giving freer access to the other parts. The carriage I) is perforated near its center for the passage of the shank E of the plunger E, and has formed upon or secured to its upper face a sleeve or cylinder F, in which the upper end of the The upper end of said shank is enlarged to fill and slide in the cylinder F and between the enlarged end E thus formed. and the plate or carriage D, forming a bottom to said cylinder around the shank E. A spiral spring e surrounds the shank, serving by its tension to uphold the plunger E in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The plunger-shank is provided with a head or button E through which pressure'is applied for operating it.

The cylinder F has a vertical slot f formed in its rear side, through which a pin 6, secured to the plunger-shank E, passes, said pin engaging a lever G, pivoted at g to an upright lug or car on the carriage D.

The rod or bar 0 has a series of inclined V-shaped notches 0' formed in its upper face at regular intervals in its length, giving to said face a serrated form, as shown, and with which a pawl or tooth h on a pawl-bar I-I engages for moving the carriage D. The lever G is expanded in vertical width or has an upright arm g above its pivot at g, and to the upper part of said arm the upper end of the bar H is pivoted, the arrangement being such that when the lever G is vibrated on its pivot a lateral vibration is imparted to the arm g for actuating the pawl h.

The lever G extends beyond its pivot g in the form of a curved arm 9 terminating in an'inclined lower face or tooth at 9 which engages in succession the notches c of the bar 0 after each movement of the carriage on the bar by the action of the pawl h, and so prevents accidental d splacement or'movcment of the carriage. The rack-bar may be made separate from the bar C and located at one side thereof, as shown at 0 Fig. 1, if preferred.

I indicates an ink-pad carriage, consisting of an angle iron or plate, the upright portion of which has sleeves 2' 2' formed on its upper edge at its ends, said sleeves striding the sleeves D and surrounding the rod 0, on which they move, carried endwise thereon by the movement of the carriage D. The horizontal part I of the plate I rests within the slot 0. in the frame and is cut away underneath the plunger E to allow the latter to pass through it to act on the type, and the two parts thus formed are suitably covered and prepared to form inking-pads t" and ,10- cated one on each side of the plunger E, so that in the movement of the type plate or bar in either direction to bring any given type under the plunger said type will pass over the pad and be inked.

K indicates the type-carrying bar, made, preferably, in dovetail form and adapted to slide endwise between the ribs 1) b To the upper face of this bar, which is flush with or raised slightly above the upper face of the ribs 1) is secured a type-plate L, of indiarubber or other suitable flexible material, and the rear portion of which overhangs the opening a and the ink-pads t" 2 and has the type indicated at l on its lower surface, as shown in Fig. 5. The type may be formed in the material of the plate or strip itself, or they may be'ni'ade of any other suitable material and secured to said strip, as preferred.

7t 7: indicate flat springs interposed between the plate L and bar K and secured to the latter. They are arranged between the type, as shown in Fig. 5, and serve to uphold the projecting edge of the flexible type-plate above and clear of the surface to be printed upon, except as they are pressed down by the plunger.

Upon the type-plate is secured an angular bar M, the rear upright portion of which is composed of saw-shaped or triangular teeth on, of a width at the base conforming to that of the type used, and arranged so that the angle of junction will be in line, or nearly so.

with the centers in width of the letters, and the plunger E is provided with a forwardlyprojecting pin 9 which, when the plunger is depressed,-passes down between the teeth into the angle between them, and so by acting on the inclined sides of the teeth serves to bring the type directly under the plunger and into line with the index-finger D and so to compensate for any inaccuracy of adjustment of the type-bar. Upon the bar M is secured an indicator plate or bar N, provided with type corresponding with those on the type-plate L and. arranged in the same longitudinal plane therewitlnso that when a type or letter on the bar N is brought under the finger D the corresponding type on the plate L will be directly under the plunger E and in proper position to be acted upon thereby. Screws n 72, passing through the plates or bars N, M, and L, or other suitable fastening device, serve to secure said plates to the sliding bar K, so that as the latter is adjusted said plates move with it. The bar K has a handle K on one end, by means of which it can be readily adjusted to bring any desired letter on the indicator-bar N under the finger D The operation will be readily understood. The machine is placed upon the surface to be printed. The letter desired to be impressed thereon is then brought under the plunger, its position there being indicated as described, and the plunger is then depressed to print said letter on said surface. the pawl 71. is moved out on the bar 0 to engage the next notch o, and as the plunger rises it is drawn toward the pawl and into position to print the next letter brought into place beneath it, adjoining that previously printed. The lever G is slotted at 9 where it engages the pin 6 to allow it to be vibrated within certain limits without moving the In this movement plunger, and so by vibrating it the pawl-bar ll can be vibrated to move the plunger-earriage on the rod 0, as may be required, for spacing between words, &e., without causing the plunger to act on the type, or the pawl h maybe lifted through its projecting upper end out of engagement with the bar C, and the carriage can then be moved to any desired point.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent", is-

1. In a typeqvriting machine, the frame thereof madein the form of an open rectangle, or having the open center, as at a, in combination with the longitudinally-adjustable flexible type-plate projecting over said opening, the independent laterally moving plunger supported above said type-plate and over said opening, and the plunger-carriage and its supporting notched or toothed bar, all for the purpose and substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a machine for printing on stationary flat surfaces, of an open rectangular frame, a laterally-moving carriage and plunger, a type-carrying plate independently adjustable longitudinally relatively to said carriage and frame, a flexible type-plate carrying the type, secured to and moving with said adjustable carrying-bar and overhanging the opening a of thet'rame, and the notched or toothed bar supporting the plunger-carriage and its mechanism, substantially as described.

The combination, with the frame, of an adjustable type-carrying bar provided with the flexible type-plate,the type on said plate, and the interposed supporting -springs secured to and moving with said carrying-bar.

t. The combination, with the machineframe provided with the central rectangular aperture, of the laterally-moving plunge r-carriage mounted and traveling on the notched or serrated bar, a plunger mounted in said carriage, pawls connected therewith and operated thereby to engage the serrated bar and impart motion to said carriage, the independently-moving longitudinally-adjustable type-plate overhanging said central aperture, and the inking-pads connected to and moving laterally with the plunger-carriage, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for printing on stationary flat surfaces, the combination, with the machine-frame provided with the open center, of the laterally-inovin g plunger-carriage, a plunger mounted on said carriage and moving through a perforation therein, an independent longitudinally-adjustable flexible typeplate overlying said open center of the frame, a type indicator-bar moving with said typeplate, a pin or finger on said plunger, a toothed plate attached to and moving with the typeplate for engaging said' finger for giving proper position to the type, and an indicatorfinger attached to said carriage and overlying the type indicator-bar, substantially as described.

U. In a machine forprintingon flat station ary surfaces, the frame thereof made in the form of an open rectangle having a central aperture, in combination with a laterallymovable plunger-carriage, the plunger mounted therein and movable vertically relatively thereto, a longitudinally adjustable independently-moving flexible type-plate overlying said central aperture, the serrated bar on which said plunger-carriage moves, the pawl and lever pivoted to said carriage for moving it, and the pin 6 on the plunger foroperating said pawl and lever, substantially as described.

7. In a printing-machine, the combination, with an open rectangular frame, of the laterally-movable plunger-carriage, the plunger mounted therein and vertically movable relatively thereto, the inking-pads moving with said carriage and arranged on either side of the path of the plunger, a longitudinally-adjustable flexible type-plate moving independently of the plunger-carriage, a type indicatorplate adjustable with said type-plate, an index-finger on the plunger carriage, and means, substantially as described, for auto inatieally moving said carriage laterally.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALONZO \VOODRUFF.

Vitnesses:

ANDREW O. MILLER, SILAs A. PHILLIPS. 

